He said: Opened two hours before drinking. Slightly opaque, dark purple color with a light garnet color rim. Just a whiff of damp earth and ripe grapes in the aroma. Silky smooth blackberry and grape taste that carries through a medium length fruity finish. This wine was a MEMORABLE(in bold caps) pairing with the venison. The bouquet was delicate but the wine was delightful and very well balanced.

She said: Our sommelier opened the bottle a couple of hours ahead and it was delicious both sipping and with the venison. I started by sipping it with crusty bread dipped in garlic balsamic olive oil and it was fabulous but it really came into its own with the venison. The venison was VERY tender and succulent and was complemented by the wine which was dry,medium bodied and had a subtle bouquet and flavor. The venison on the other hand smoothed out the wine beautifully. I look forward to the pairing again.